I consider the “morning hours”, the first two hours after you get up. On average a person experiences approximately 50,000 of these hours in their adult life. As a consequence, it would be wise for us to learn how to use our time in the morning.
Also read: How to take advantage of time and multiply it to your liking.
Many of us use that time to make our day easier. I have developed the ability to turn these hours into a productivity machine.
As entrepreneurs, the goal of productivity is to be able to achieve freedom, not achievement. This means managing our time so well that we are able to spend the remaining hours doing the things we really love (hobbies, family, friends, etc).
On the other hand, I firmly believe that time is our most important asset, since it is impossible to create more, we are always running out. That is the basis of all great memories.
Find below my 5 steps to take advantage of the time and have an incredibly productive morning.
5 strategies to know how to take advantage of time in the mornings:
1. Ten minutes of preparation before going to bed.
I go to bed between 10:30 and midnight 7 days a week. But before hitting the pillow, I write down my tasks for the next day. I don’t use an app, I use a simple 3×5 cm card. First I write the date and then between 5 and 10 tasks (Including those that I did not finish the day before). Next I add numbers to each task to prioritize them. #1 is the most important task and so on. Finally I turn off the lights; no tv, no phone.
Also read: 5 questions you should ask yourself before bed to succeed.
2. Ten minutes of stretching.
From the moment I get up, the game begins. But that doesn’t mean I immediately jump to Instagram or check my email. The first thing I do is go through a basic stretching routine right next to my bed. I focus on my breathing and sometimes I pray. Then I go to my phone and the day begins.
3. Reward yourself with food.
Item #1 on my list is always the hardest. It’s homework I don’t want to do, especially 10 minutes after waking up. However, I do it. I don’t allow myself to have breakfast if I don’t finish my first homework. Sometimes it takes me 15 minutes and other times it takes 1 hour, but I always finish it and make myself a healthy breakfast.
4. Fast and healthy food.
When productivity is our goal, there’s no time for a 30-minute breakfast. However, success is nothing if you are not healthy. I have a list of organic items that take less than 5-10 minutes to prepare like organic oats, egg whites, and granola bars. I eat breakfast while I focus on the next item on my list.
5. The power of silence. Time to focus.
Lastly, I spend the next 30-60 minutes of my morning somewhere where I can focus. Without interruptions. My phone is in airplane mode and my email is not high on my list. This is where I often get 2-3 critical items on my list done. So I take a 30 minute break.
Also read: 5 incredible benefits of meditation.
It is important to note that I stop working completely at 6:00 pm. No matter what happens at 6 I stop. This allows me to shift my attention to my wife and children. It is at that moment that I think: “everything has been worth it”.
Productivity without healthy relationships is nothing. Success at work is worthless without a healthy life at home. Allow your time to be used to do great things, but never spend so much time making a life that you forget to live it.
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This article was originally published on startupcamp.com. Its translation and publication in ModoEmprendedor has been authorized directly by the author and cannot be reproduced by any other means.
